Self-propelled irrigation systems, including center-pivot and lateral-move systems, have irrigation towers wheels that are driven by drive motors mechanically coupled to gearboxes and/or drivelines. While cost effective, these propulsion systems are complex, utilizing a large number of components that result in low reliability. The large number of components add weight to the propulsion system, and thus to the self-propelled irrigation system, which cause the irrigation system to use more energy to propel the irrigation system than necessary. Additionally, a heavy irrigation system often creates deep ruts in the ground along each path traveled by the irrigation tower wheels. When these ruts form on hills, the ruts form channels for water to move, facilitating erosion processes. Additionally, ruts also cause damage to agricultural equipment that drive over them during field operation.
Further, the technology in the self-propelled propulsion systems is generally suitable only for use in irrigation applications. For example, the self-propelled irrigation system propulsion systems are designed to move at a speed usable only for irrigation. By way of another example, the guidance technology of the propulsion systems implements a set of limit switches. The limit switches are designed to allow one irrigation system span to be propelled ahead of another span to the extent allowed by the span-specific limit switch, at which point the span-specific limit switch is switched off until the remainder of the spans catch up. The propulsion system of a specific span may only be utilized when the limit switch for that particular span is engaged, meaning spans are continually stopping and starting motion while travelling the field. In this fashion, significant structural fatigue may be witnessed in the spans. The frequent number of starts and stops is hard on an irrigation system's structure and respective drive systems. In the case of a center pivot, the furthest irrigation tower's drive system from the center point operates more of the time in an ON position than the innermost irrigation tower's drive system.
The irrigation towers are constructed as A-frames of a fixed height and a fixed angle relative to the ground. This fixed height makes it difficult for the propulsion systems to drive the irrigation system on any ground that is not flat. For example, when the irrigation system is climbing a hill, the fixed height results in the irrigation system spraying a field at uneven heights, resulting in non-uniform coverage.
Additionally, the irrigation system is constructed from a reverse bow truss assembly. The truss assembly provides support for an irrigation fluid pipe running the length of the irrigation system. The truss assembly is designed only to be coupled to one or more irrigation nozzles, making the irrigation system largely unusable for other applications.
As such it would be desirable to provide a system and method that cures the shortcomings of the previous approaches as identified above.